Red Cross holds disaster course for Warrior Country

(from left to right) Jana Fullmer, Area 1 American Red Cross station manager, and Ruth Grays, a Family member, listen during an Introductory Natural Disaster Course Sept. 24 USAG-Casey Family Readiness Center.

(from left to right) Jana Fullmer, Area 1 American Red Cross station manager, and Ruth Grays, a Family member, listen during an Introductory Natural Disaster Course Sept. 24 USAG-Casey Family Readiness Center.

CASEY GARRISON - In the event of a natural disaster hitting Area 1, the American Red Cross hoped Soldiers and Family members in attendance of the American Red Cross Natural Disaster Introductory course Sept. 24, at the 2nd Infantry Division Family Readiness Group building, learned something beneficial.
"The first time I came into contact with a natural disaster was when I was a reservist in the Navy," said Ruth Grays, an Army Family member, as she shared a personal story of a disaster, which required her assistance. "We had this downpour in the valley of South Texas and the building collapsed where a few people were underneath the rubble. I was out there and did not know what to expect but still managed to work into the rubble. It was amazing to see how the community and the American Red Cross come together."
The instructor spoke on preparedness, what to expect and how to be ready for the unexpected. USAG-Humphreys American Red Cross Station Manager, Kalyn Simpson, talked about having an emergency kit ready in the case of a disaster and having the random items one would not think quite essential in a bag.
Simpson shared with the Soldiers and Family members a story about a Family in Florida who faced a hurricane knocking down the power around them. The family had enough generators and food supplies preserved in the case of not being able to cook with a stove and still provide food for their children and themselves during a disaster.
"My hope," Simpson said "is people who are sitting in these classes will go out and touch other people with the stories and lessons they learned today, and get them thinking about preparedness and how they can help the American Red Cross in a time of disaster and what role they would like to play."